Al Di Meola

waylay00 · #1 10-14-2006, 03:40 PM

Well, I'll be seeing him tonight...

I am very excited! I'll post pics once I get back.

What are your thought/opinions on him?

fettouhi · #2 10-14-2006, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waylay00

Well, I'll be seeing him tonight...

I am very excited! I'll post pics once I get back.

What are your thought/opinions on him?

Sweet! Enjoy the show

.

Regards

André

**elcid** · #3 10-14-2006, 06:02 PM

Al Di Meola = Great and under appreciated.

OLIE_ROCKS_THE_80'S · #4 10-14-2006, 06:29 PM

He is a monster player and one of my influences!!!

dex · #5 10-14-2006, 06:37 PM

At 26 Al was sharing a stage with Paco De Lucia and John McLaughlin and Al was outplaying them both.
Enough said.

If the names above mean nothing to you look for an album called Friday Night in San Francisco and give it a listen.
It'll blow your mind.

**jemaholic** · #6 10-14-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dex

At 26 Al was sharing a stage with Paco De Lucia and John McLaughlin and Al was outplaying them both.
Enough said.

If the names above mean nothing to you look for an album called Friday Night in San Francisco and give it a listen.
It'll blow your mind.

.....and that was on ACOUSTIC guitars!

Go check out Chick Corea and his band- Return To Forever. I recommend the album "Where have I known you before? from 1972. From the opening tune, you will either want to quit playing guitar, or you will want to go to the next step in learning the guitar. I opted for the latter ;^)
-Jemaholic

pawel · #7 10-14-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dex

At 26 Al was sharing a stage with Paco De Lucia and John McLaughlin and Al was outplaying them both.
Enough said.

If the names above mean nothing to you look for an album called Friday Night in San Francisco and give it a listen.
It'll blow your mind.

There is outplaying and there is "outplaying" - I wouldn't put DiMeola on the same level as Johnny Mac as a guitarist, musician and improviser. McLaughlin is to me a much more rounded player in all respects (also technically).

That is not to say Al DiMeola doesn't have talent - anyone who plays with Chick at such a young age is very gifted. His soloiing, however, especially on his solo records, always seemed to me to be more flash than substance.

I think he is a much better composer tnan an improvser, which is why I enjoy him in more composed/less-jazzy acoustic settings, like on the "DiMeola Plays Piazzolla Album" or World Simfonia records.

Either way - enjoy the show!

waylay00 · #8 10-14-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dex

At 26 Al was sharing a stage with Paco De Lucia and John McLaughlin and Al was outplaying them both.
Enough said.

If the names above mean nothing to you look for an album called Friday Night in San Francisco and give it a listen.
It'll blow your mind.

I love Friday Night In San Fran. Genius work by all three.

dex · #9 10-14-2006, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawel

There is outplaying and there is "outplaying"

Cleaner, faster and more structured than both.
Much easyer on the ear than either De Lucia's flamenco inspired improv (De Lucia is a great guitarist but his improv on that record is nothing compared to John and Al) and John's all out there fusion.

I know music is art so there's no "better" but Al's bits are the bits that bring me back listening intently when I've got that CD on in the background.

gu1tar · #10 10-14-2006, 10:40 PM

Al's the man. He can burn on an ACOUSTIC for god's sake!

rlintz · #11 10-15-2006, 02:56 AM

Elegant Gypsy was the one for me that opened new doors. Great album with tons of variety including some moments of pure shred.

waylay00 · #12 10-15-2006, 02:59 AM

The show was fantastic.

Here is a video clip I just uploaded onto the Tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg0-H-Mf-h4

And the pics:

jemplayer55 · #13 10-15-2006, 03:26 AM

Another major influence on my playing...... I first heard of him back in "75", he was working with Chick Corea. Then when he released "Land of The Midnight Sun"..... I was hooked. His playing forced me to really pursue a higher degree of technical playing. I was getting heavily into fusion and jazz at the time.

fettouhi · #14 10-15-2006, 05:31 AM

Sweet, thanks! I didn't know he was playing PRS?

Regards

André

pawel · #15 10-15-2006, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dex

Cleaner, faster and more structured than both.
Much easyer on the ear than either De Lucia's flamenco inspired improv (De Lucia is a great guitarist but his improv on that record is nothing compared to John and Al) and John's all out there fusion.

I know music is art so there's no "better" but Al's bits are the bits that bring me back listening intently when I've got that CD on in the background.

Too each his own I guess, I don't have the Friday Night CD on me at the moment (It's back home, but I heard it a few times, and have actually seen them live together), so I was basing that more on the general recorded output of JMcL and DiMeola. Al's playing just doesn't do it for me anymore, and the clip that waylay posted confirmed that.